Question

what was the irony in the statement when the frog said "your song must be your own

Answer 1

The irony here is that the frog means that the Nightingale's song is not hers but it has been stolen. Indirectly, he means to say that the Nightingale steals others' songs and that's why her song is so melodious.


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Answer 2

It is said that one should sing one’s own song. Had it been the case with the nightingale in the poem ‘The Frog and the Nightingale’, she would not have been killed.
She was timid and lacked self-confidence. That was why she invited the frog’s comments about her song of the last night. This was the chance when the frog could trap her. He offered to impart her training for proper singing. Being innocent she could not suspect the frog’s evil designs of killing her by making her sing continuously and even in bad weather that too without proper rest. The frog exploited her and over exerted her. She obeyed his commands innocently and did not think that her song was better than his.
Ultimately, the frog succeeded in killing her and criticized her as a stupid creature who was nervous, tense and prone to influence and said that she should have thought that her song must be her own.